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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.